The Cost of Weakness
by Indigo Tantarian
Summary: Bakura gets sealed into the Millennium Ring, and Ryou eventually recieves it. What a bad summary! But please read anyway!
1. Bakura

Author's Notes: Here's my Bakura story! I know it took a long time to come, but I hope it's good! The first chapter is in ancient Egypt, then it moves to present-day Japan. I'll try to be accurate! I haven't decided yet if I want this to be based on the dub or the original version, but that'll depend on how soon I get the DVDs. But until then, I need help with a title! Something about weakness I think, because Bakura just keeps going back to that. But any suggestions would help! Thanks!  
I know Yami and Seth(Seto) will seem really mean in this, but most people with a lot of power WERE very mean.  
AND NOW! I shall attempt to explain the motivation of Yami Bakura to you all. I feel like Milton, who tried to justify the ways of God to man in "Paradise Lost." ^_^ But that's my basic purpose!   
  
Ankh: Hello again! Indigo still hasn't managed to gain ownership of Yu-Gi-Oh yet. I'm sure Bakura's glad of that. Though she plans to buy the DVDs next month. But anyway, please don't sue her or anything, because she has little enough money as it is!  
  
  
Untitled! Help!  
  
  
"Let me go, you thugs!" the white-haired boy snarled. He struggled, but his thin, lightly-muscled body was no match for the two bulky guards dragging him into the throne room. The pharaoh sat before him on a pure gold throne. He was unusually short, even for his young age, but his tall spiked hair gave him some extra height and his whole demeanor was elevated and regal. The white-haired boy, however, was not impressed. As he was brought towards the throne, he spat angrily at the pharaoh.  
  
"Where is the stolen item?" the pharaoh demanded. He ignored the spitting for the moment, but made a mental note to have the boy's tongue cut out.  
  
"You think I'd give it to you!?" the thief asked indignantly.  
  
"Silence, insolent cur!" one of the guards shouted, punching him in the stomach. The boy doubled over in much more pain than he should have been in. The guard frowned, grabbed the bottom of the boy's loose, rough shirt, and yanked it up. There was a long strip of cloth wrapped around the boy's bruised, scarred chest. The cloth held a gold ring with a pyramid in the middle and five spikes hanging from the sides. The punch had caught the bottom of the ring, and new cuts and bruises were rapidly forming. The guard ripped the ring away from the thief's body and held it up for the pharaoh to see.  
  
Another young man stepped out from behind the golden throne. He was tall and wore the high blue and gold hat of a mage. He walked up to the guard, snatched the ring away from him, and aimed a small kick at the thief, who was just getting his breath back. The mage walked back to stand beside the pharaoh.  
  
"I am feeling generous today. Since the item was recovered, I will spare the thief's soul," the pharaoh declared. "Have his hands chopped off so that he will not steal again, and his tongue cut out so that he may not insult his pharaoh again."  
  
"No! No, please have mercy on me! Please, great one!" the thief cried out. He had never liked being weak enough to show fear like this, but the thought of his punishment made him panic. He would die without his hands and tongue.   
  
"There is an alternative, of course. You are rather pretty for a flea-bitten rat. If you please me, I may decide to keep you," the pharaoh said, licking his lips.  
  
"No! Please, no. Anything but that…" the young thief began to sob against his will. His father had taught him what things like "pretty," "please me," and "keep you" meant. He had run away to escape that long ago, and he would NOT go back to that life.  
  
"Take him away," the pharaoh said in disgust. The guards turned, yanking the shaking boy with them.  
  
"Wait!" the mage said. The guards stopped, and all eyes turned to the mage holding the ring. He turned to the pharaoh. "My pharaoh, please allow me to have him. I have not found anyone to test my plans on yet. Since he shows such interest in my Items and has a rather strong will to live, he would do well."  
  
"Hmm…" the pharaoh considered. "Very well. Guards, bring the thief to the mages' testing arena." The guards bowed and took the very confused and nervous thief away.  
  
"Show me the results when you are finished, Seth," the pharaoh said with mild interest.  
  
"Yes, golden one," the high mage said quietly, bowing as he left.  
  
  
Bakura, the thief, was left chained in the middle of a large windowless room deep underground. Not knowing how much time he had before something else happened, he shut his eyes to try to calm himself and rest.  
  
Moments later, he heard footsteps approach him. His head snapped up and his eyes opened quickly. The mage stood in front of him, still holding the gold ring.  
  
"You like this, don't you?" the mage asked, smirking slightly as he held out the ring. Bakura didn't answer, but watched him carefully. The taller man laughed softly. "Well, it's a good thing. Because you're going to be stuck with it for all of eternity."  
  
The mage turned his back on the white-haired boy and began to chant. Strange lights and sounds seemed to come from the ring in front of him. Then he turned. The ring pulsed with an eerie light. The mage walked up to Bakura, using his foot to push the thief onto his back. Then he quickly slammed the ring onto the boy's chest, shouting some words Bakura didn't understand.  
  
For a split second Bakura felt the ring pressing hard on his bruises. Then it began to burn into his chest until he couldn't stand it anymore and he screamed. Then he passed out.  
  
  
Bakura woke up after a while… he wasn't sure how long. At least, he thought he was awake. Everything was pitch black. There was no noise at all. But he could see himself, at least. That was slightly comforting.  
  
"Hello?" Bakura called tentatively. "Is anyone there?" No one answered. There was no echo. His voice was the only sound. There was nothing but blackness everywhere. He wasn't even sure he was standing on anything.  
  
"The ring…" he said softly, running his hands over it. It was around his neck on a rope. And surprisingly, his bruises were gone, though the scars remained. "I must have been out for a long time…" He pulled the ring out so it rested on top of his shirt.  
  
"So I've got the ring now. But where in Osiris's depths am I?" He walked a bit, but still saw nothing. He ran as fast and as far as he could, but still nothing. He stomped the 'ground' but it made no sound and he barely felt it. He jumped up and down, to no avail. Finally he sat down hard (though he hardly felt it) and tried to punch the ground, although it didn't do any good.  
  
"Why did I have to steal THIS, of all things? Ra, I must be the stupidest person in the whole kingdom." He took the ring off and threw it as hard as he could. He wasn't entirely surprised when he could still see it glowing a good distance away. He looked away, frustrated. And felt the heavy ring back on his chest. After many more failed attempts to get rid of it, he gave up.  
  
"I hate that mage. I hate the pharaoh! I hate the guards! I hate them ALL!" he screamed. "And I HATE THIS RA-DAMNED RING!" He picked up said ring and slammed in back against his chest, but one of the sharp points scraped his neck. Bakura sucked in his breath sharply at the pain. He touched the scrape. There was a tiny bit of blood seeping from it. But somehow it convinced him of how hopeless his situation really was. He wrapped his arms around his knees and began to cry quietly.  
  
  
Over the decades, the loneliness and complete emptiness of his prison made Bakura more than a little neurotic. He still didn't know what was going on. He forgot quite a few things about his life after the first couple of millennia. But he retained his personality, though it grew rather warped and twisted. He thought a lot about how much he hated the world. But one thought was always at the front of his mind.   
  
"This happened because I was weak. I will never allow myself to be weak again."  
  
The Ring and six other golden Items were passed down through a long line of guardians. If anyone ever touched the Ring or tried to reach out into it, Bakura never felt it.  
  
Then finally, the Ring was sold to an archeologist who gave it to his son. By this time, Bakura had learned to use the Ring's powers. He had made a whole labyrinth of rooms and passages for himself, modeled after some of the more interesting tombs he'd been in.  
  
This boy who now held the Ring was kind, soft-spoken, and innocent. In other words, weak. He reminded Bakura of himself, before his life took a turn for the worst.   
  
"At this rate he'll end up like me, pathetic and trapped. He saved me from the darkness. No matter what the cost, I must not allow him to be weak…"  
  
  
  
Endnote: Okay, that was kind of a prologue to the rest of the story. Sorry if it was confusing, my muses weren't behaving when I wrote it. *glares at Ankh and Scale* But anyway, let me know what you think, and PLEASE suggest a title to me! 


	2. Ryou

Author's Notes: Okay, it wasn't very fair of me to ask for a title from you guys after the first chapter, because the rest of the story's very different. But I think Crossover Authoress's suggestion of "The Price of Weakness" was pretty good for what I want. The others were good too! See if you can make even better suggestions after this chapter.  
Just to warn you, while this is not an "evil Bakura hurts Ryou because he's evil" story, this IS a "Bakura's mean and he hurts Ryou, but he has reasons for it" story. And… That's all I'll tell you. Oh, and Ryou lives with his uncle because his father's always away digging up things. This starts with Ryou's point of view and switches to Bakura's, and back again, then back to Bakura.  
  
Ankh: Indigo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh. She doesn't get any money from writing either, because otherwise she'd be able to quit her job!  
  
Scale: Heh heh… Warning! Violence, blood, guts, gore, lemony sex (and lots of it), yaoi, racism, genocide, and nuclear holocaust.  
  
Indigo: Scale, how about a REAL warning, like an ACCURATE one, maybe?  
  
Scale: You're SO boring! All right wimps, all this stupid story has is a little violence. Not even until the next chapter! No yaoi unless you're looking for it. And the spirit of the Ring is so stupid, you probably won't understand what's going on half the time! The fool probably couldn't even read Egyptian, much less Japanese. And Indigo's just as idiotic, so the timeline is messed up. The Ring's weakling host is much older than he's supposed to be!  
  
//…// = Bakura's thoughts, /…/ = Ryou's thoughts. Tou-san means father/dad.  
  
  
The Cost of Weakness  
  
  
"Tou-san!" the excited boy exclaimed. "You're home! I missed you so much!" He threw his arms around his father in a hug.  
  
"Ah, Ryou, you've grown!" his father said, ruffling his white hair.  
  
"Tou-san, come look at what I've been doing in school," Ryou said, pulling lightly on his father's arm. "I've been doing especially well in history, look at my last test!"  
  
"I'm sorry Ryou," he interrupted his son, "but I have to leave again in a few minutes. I just stopped here between planes to say hello to you and your uncle."  
  
"Oh…" Ryou's face fell.  
  
"I'm sorry Ryou. You know I wish I could stay."  
  
Ryou nodded, avoiding his father's eyes.  
  
"But I got you something from a merchant in Egypt. Look!" his father pulled a package out of his coat and gave it to the boy. Ryou's eyes lit up as he took it. He quickly ripped off the brown paper to reveal a large golden ring with five spikes dangling from it. There was a triangle in the center with an odd eye in the middle. It glowed for a minute and quickly grew warm in his hands. It was so beautiful it took his breath away. "It has something to do with the Duel Monsters cards you like to play with, or so the merchant said. He didn't elaborate, but I thought you would like it," his father said.  
  
Ryou nodded speechlessly. His eyes shone with wonder as he gazed at the beautiful gold object. He hardly even noticed when his father ruffled his hair again, said goodbye, and left.  
  
Ryou wasn't sure why, but he suddenly felt a strong desire to kep the ring with him. Always. He fished in a few drawers around the house and finally found a smooth leather cord. He carefully tied it in a circle and looped it through the gold ring. He ran up to his room and was about to try in on, but then his uncle, whom he lived with, came in and told him to get ready for bed. So he hung the ring on a hook by his mirror and went to brush his teeth.  
  
Ryou meant to put on the ring the next morning, but he woke up late and forgot ll about it. He raced out the door without giving it a second thought.  
  
Ryou didn't enjoy school very much. He was rather quiet and didn't like sports much, so the other students either ignored him or picked on him. He didn't have any friends. But he was intelligent and well-behaved, so his teachers liked him. And he and his uncle would be moving in a day or so anyway, so perhaps he would find someone nice at his new school.  
  
  
When Ryou grasped the ring, it felt like a refreshing breeze to Bakura… a breeze that picked him up and slammed him into the ground. After three millennia of almost complete sensory deprivation, Ryou's presence left him gasping. He could see what Ryou saw, hear what he heard… He had been slowly going crazy, his mind stagnation from lack of stimulation and human contact. This was almost too much to handle all at once. And he was completely attuned to Ryou's mind, his thoughts, his feelings…  
  
Ryou's mind was as soft as Bakura's was hard. It felt warm, fuzzy, comforting, and entirely innocent. In other words, weak. But for a moment, all Bakura could do was sit there and bask in the warmth of the other presence. After a few minutes though, it was cut off, leaving Bakura once again gasping for breath.  
  
But after a moment he calmed himself again. He had figured out that he had a spell on him, and when he saw the Ring through Ryou's eyes, he knew he must be sealed into that. Once again, he cursed everyone he'd ever met, especially the pharaoh and the mage. Unconsciously he berated himself for his weakness and gullibility. But the other one's presence was addictive to him…. He had to have more!  
  
Reaching out into the room he couldn't see, Bakura could just barely sense the other boy. The Ring was at the back of his mind, but his thoughts were on other things now.  
  
//That ignorant mouse… How dare he leave me like this! What's he doing? He's thinking about his education. And other children. Huh, looks like he can't even stand up for himself against CHILDREN. I was right, he IS weak. How pathetic.// Bakura sifted through the boy's uppermost thoughts before withdrawing back into the Ring. It took a LOT of energy to sense the boy when he wasn't right there with him.  
  
//By his age he should have learned to be stronger than this… He'll get killed when he has to go out on his own! His father and uncle certainly don't toughen him up much. Not like mine. Well, since I have to stay with him anyway, I may as well make sure he survives to adulthood…// With that thought, Bakura drifted off to sleep.  
  
Late the next morning, when Ryou had already run off to school, Bakura woke up. The total darkness that surrounded him was so depressing that Bakura couldn't make himself get up for a moment. The mental architecture he had constructed seemed like a bunch of shadows compared to what he had seen and felt those few beautiful moments with the boy. After taking a few minutes to despair at his existence, Bakura got up and began rebuilding the tomb-like structures. They looked more real this time, and Bakura was pleased. He had almost forgotten what the real world looked like. It looked very different from what he remembered, but he could still see how real it was.  
  
Bakura had nothing to do for most of the day. He didn't try to explore the world, because he wanted to save his energy for when the boy got back. He waited very impatiently.  
  
  
When Ryou got home, he said hello to his uncle and ran upstairs. His eyes lit up as his gaze rested on the Ring still hanging by his mirror. He dropped his book bag into a large packing box and went over to the mirror, putting the leather cord aound his neck so the Ring rested on his chest.  
  
The first time he held the Ring, Ryou had felt a strange jolt, as if his breath was knocked out of him for a split second. This time it suddenly felt like he hadn't been able to breathe before, and now he was able to again. Ryou smiled at the exhilaration.  
  
  
Ah! The boy was back again! Bakura forgot his impatience and reveled in the feeling. The boy – Ryou was his name – blinked, and Bkaura realized he was looking at… himself? No, a mirror. He had seen small mirrors in town, and larger ones at the Pharaoh's palace, but he had never had the leisure to look into a full-length one such as this before. This must be what Ryou looked like. Almost exactly like Bakura himself… His head was covered in limp spikes of white hair. His wide, content eyes were a deep brown. Bakura's were more narrow though, and his skin wasn't quite as pale as the boy's. Ryou was smiling, admiring his Ring. He looked so sweet and innocent…  
  
…And WEAK! His eyes showed every emotion he felt. They practically screamed 'Take advantage of me'! And he obviously didn't spend any time exercising, or even being out in the sun, to have such weak-looking arms and pale skin.  
  
"Ryou! Are you packed yet?" he uncle's voice called from downstairs.  
  
"Oh! Almost!" Ryou called back. Packed? What was this about? Ryou looked over at the other wall and Bakura saw a mountain of boxes with some symbol written on all of them. He watched as Ryou got a mostly empty box and started loading things into it. There were rectangular things with more strange symbols on them, various pieces of clothing, and some small figures. Pieces of flat stuff that looked vaguely like papyrus and long thin black things followed. Then a strange round box with symbols going in a circle. Something was moving around in it. Bakura didn't like that.  
  
Finally, all that remained in the room was the bed with blankets and a pillow, some clothing, and two different-sized brushes. One was large with black bristles, probably for brushing hair. The other one was very small with soft-looking white bristles, too small, pale, and weak to be useful. Just like Ryou…  
  
Bakura growled softly to himself. The boy MUST be taught to be strong. Ryou looked around, startled.  
  
"What was that?" Ryou asked himself. As far as he knew, he was alone in the room. "Probably something outside… It's almost dinner time! I'd better go set the table." He closed the last box.  
  
Bakura kept silent. Somehow, Ryou had heard him. This could be good… Or it could be very bad. He decided to keep silent for now and see what else he could learn.   
  
Ryou left his room and ran down the stairs. He set out dished and long, thin wooden sticks on the low table. How strange… After a minute he looked up. There was a window showing the world outside. It was getting dark out there, so he could barely see anything. But it was so bright inside! How? Bakura's strong desire to know made Ryou unconsciously look around. There, on the ceiling. It was a globe of brightness. No candle or torch could be that unwaveringly bright. It must be magic. Bakura had seen mages make light before. Ryou's uncle must have some magical talent, because Ryou didn't seem to. Bakura made a mental note to avoid Ryou's uncle. Mages were all alike…  
  
Ryou walked into another room. Through Ryou, Bakura could smell wonderful scents coming from the pot Ryou's uncle was stirring. He couldn't see any fire, but it might be only a small fire under the pot. Or it could be more magic. On the ledge next to the metal think the pot sat on, there was a rectangular black box. There were voices coming from it. At least two people were talking. What was it? How could people fit in that box? What magic was this!?  
  
"Oh, Ryou! Just in time," his uncle said. He pressed the box and it was silent. Then he turned something on the metal thing and it clicked. He picked up the pot and there was some sort of metal grate under it. No fire. Truly this was a sorcerer to be reckoned with. "Would you bring the tea?" He carried the pot to the low table in the other room, and Ryou took a clay pot designed to pour something from and followed.  
  
Careful to guard his thoughts from being overheard, Bakura contemplated what he had seen. While his uncle obviously had control over many great forces, Ryou didn't seem to have much interest in learning his magic. Perhaps he served the mage to gain favor, but Ryou still seemed to lack ambition.  
  
Feeling rather disgusted at his host, Bakura sat back to observe the meal.  
  
  
  
Endnote: Poor Bakura! So confused. I think I'm happy with the title, but if anyone can come up with a better one after reading this, let me know. And also, let me know what genre this might be. I have a tendency to stick things in "Drama" and forget about it. Oh, and what's the Japanese word for "Uncle"? I'll be using it a lot, and I'd like to know. Thanks! And... I think I'm going to fire Scale from the "warning" job. 


	3. Meeting

Author's Notes: I LIVE!! Yes, my rants were deleted, so they banned me for a week. But I'm back now! For those who care, I'll be posting my rants on my website in a couple weeks. I'll let you know when I do. I'm very glad you people like Bakura and his views on the "magic," because there will be a lot more of that… I've never seen any real evidence that Bakura abuses Ryou, and Seena (my official source of Yami Bakura information) hasn't either, but he'll do it a little anyway. Also, after much inner debate about relationships, I think I can do what I want with this story without delving into yaoi. But let me know if it gets too slashy for you. I think my idea of yaoi is a bit different from what you might have been thinking… I don't intend to write any sex scenes, or even kissing. Really, I suspect the most I could do would be a bit of cuddling, and if it even gets that far, it won't be for ages. So don't worry about nasty, offending things! Oh, and since no one suggested a new title, I'll just start getting attached to the one I've got. This is mostly in Bakura's point of view, although in later chapters it's hard to tell… Even for me!  
  
Scale: Indigo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh. This is stupid. If I have to do something, I want to do the warning… *stomps off muttering death threats*  
  
Ankh: Really, this probably doesn't need a warning at all. There's a little violence, but it's not too bad. And Indigo might have written a yaoi-ish sentence or two, but that's only because she put that other warning up there in her notes. After this chapter, don't expect any. Unless she decides to talk to you about it again!  
  
  
The Cost of Weakness  
  
  
The meal Ryou and his uncle ate was very strange… It was a pot full of different kinds of white meat-like stuff (seafood, or so Ryou's thoughts told him) in broth with some long thin noodles. What a strange word. Noodle… Oh well.  
  
The most bizarre part of the meal was how it was eaten. Bakura watched in awe as Ryou held the two sticks in one hand and neatly pinched each piece of food before bringing it up to his mouth. When he was finished with the solid stuff, he put down the sticks and picked up his bowl to drink the remaining broth. This was more familiar to Bakura. And apparently it all tasted very good.  
  
"I see you like your father's present," Ryou's uncle said, nodding at the Ring on Ryou's chest.  
  
"Oh yes," Ryou said, smiling. "It's the best present I've ever gotten!" He gently ran his hand over the Ring, and Bakura could feel him more strongly than ever. He loved the Ring so much. It almost felt like he felt that strongly about Bakura…  
  
Bakura shook his head to clear it. NO! This boy was weak, and he MUST get stronger. If Ryou cared at all about him, it would have to wait until the boy was stronger.  
  
Ryou sipped tea from a small clay cup. "Are you packed?" his uncle asked.  
  
"All except the things I'll need tomorrow," Ryou answered.  
  
"Good. If you're finished, you can start loading it into the truck. I'll be there to help you after I wash the dishes," Ryou's uncle said.  
  
"Okay!" Ryou said. He gave a little bow to his uncle and went upstairs. There, he grabbed a box and brought it downstairs. He carried it outside and put it in a huge metal box on wheels. This must be their chariot. A mage as powerful as Ryou's uncle was surely entitled to his own chariot. Even if it wasn't very attractive. And Bakura couldn't see how horses or camels could be hitched up to it. Perhaps it ran on magic as well.  
  
Bakura made Ryou look around again. Though it was dark, he could see all sorts of large, odd shapes. It was too dark to make out what they were.  
  
Ryou went back inside to get another box. He continued to load them into the chariot, and his uncle helped. The older man used no magic, though. This puzzled Bakura.  
  
Finally, after hours of loading all the boxes in the house into the chariot, there were no more. Ryou yawned. "You'd better get to bed, Ryou. We'll have a long drive tomorrow," his uncle said.  
  
"All right. Good night!" Ryou said, smiling at his uncle. He went back up to his nearly empty room. He changed into some softer, lighter clothes and picked up the small white brush by his bed. He took it to another room where he put some sticky blue stuff on the bristles, ran some water over it, and began scrubbing his teeth with it.  
  
//Oh, I see! It's for washing teeth!// Bakura said to himself.  
  
Ryou nearly jumped out of his skin. He whirled around and looked quickly in the closet and the bath area, and outside of the room. "Wh…who's there?" he asked nervously. Bakura realized the boy had heard him again. Oh well, now was as good a time as any to make his presence known. The sorcerer wasn't around.  
  
//I'm in the Ring, you weak fool.// he said, annoyed at the boy's frantic attempts to locate whoever had spoken. //Just my luck, I have to get stuck with the village idiot…//  
  
Ryou was holding the Ring, staring at it in openmouthed wonder. "Who… are you?"  
  
//Not that it's any of YOUR business, but I'm Bakura. Now shut your mouth.//  
  
Ryou's mouth snapped shut automatically. He started scrubbing his teeth again slowly. /Bakura? But that's my family's name…/ he thought to himself. /I wonder if we're related. Does he look anything like me? Does he even have a body, or is he just the ring?/  
  
Bakura sighed in annoyance. //I can HEAR you, you know.// He REALLY wanted to hit the dense boy. Suddenly he felt strange. The Ring in Ryou's hands glowed and Bakura found himself standing in front of Ryou. He stared down at his slightly transparent body, turning his hand over again and again. Then he looked at Ryou, whose eyes were as big as the Ring itself.  
  
Bakura frowned and slapped Ryou across the face. "Quit that, you look like a fish." Ryou stepped back and put a hand to his face. Bakura grinned. He had felt the boy's cheek under his hand! "You felt that?" he demanded. Ryou looked shocked and hurt.  
  
"Y…yes! Why did you do that?" Ryou asked.  
  
Bakura grinned triumphantly. "Because I can!" He shoved Ryou out of the way and stood in front of the mirror. Ah, wonderful. He paused to admire himself. His skin was paler than he remembered, but he'd been in total darkness for countless years, so that was unavoidable. His eyes were hard and narrow, a sharp contrast to Ryou's soft round ones. And a large spike of hair stood up on each side of his head, a bit like bat wings.  
  
Satisfied with his appearance, Bakura turned back to Ryou, who looked very hurt and a little frightened.  
  
Suddenly a voice interrupted them. "Ryou, I'm going out for a while. I'll be back in no more than an hour," his uncle called.  
  
Ryou opened his mouth, but Bakura quickly grabbed a piece of his hair and hissed "Not a word about me!"  
  
Ryou gulped and nodded. "All right. See you tomorrow!" he called to his uncle. Bakura nodded and waited until he heard the door slam shut. Then he yanked on Ryou's hair, pushing him out of the small white room. Ryou gave a shriek of pain.  
  
"Go to your room. We need to talk," Bakura ordered. Ryou stood rubbing his head for a minute, so Bakura frowned and kicked the boy in the shin to get him to hurry. Ryou yelped and scrambled to his room with Bakura close behind.  
  
Upon entering his room, Ryou put a hand to the wall and the magic globe on the ceiling lit up. Bakura gasped involuntarily and took a step back. He looked suspiciously at Ryou. So, this fragile boy COULD use some magic. "Explain this magic," he snarled, pointing at the glowing sphere.  
  
Ryou looked confused and then had the audacity to laugh. "That's not magic! It's a light. It uses electricity."  
  
Bakura glared at him and deftly punched his shoulder. Ryou staggered back, looking very upset. "Tell me how the light-magic works, fool! Don't you dare laugh at me!" He hadn't minded being with this boy at first, but he was steadily getting more annoyed.  
  
Ryou gulped and pointed to the wall, where there was a small panel with a tiny stick poking out. "You just push the switch up and down and the light turns on and off."  
  
Bakura went over to it and pushed up with all his might. Nothing happened. He gave Ryou a murderous look.  
  
Ryou flinched. "It's… already on. Push it down to turn it off." Bakura growled and Ryou backed away. He pushed the switch down using his full strength. As the light disappeared, he realized that it didn't take that much effort. So he spent a moment turning the light off and on before turning back to Ryou.  
  
"Where are you from that you don't know how to turn on a light switch?" Ryou asked in what he hoped was a soft, non-threatening voice.  
  
This made Bakura almost livid with rage. "I know all I need to know!" He started pummeling Ryou with his fists. "In Egypt they had the sense not to teach magic to weaklings like you!"  
  
Ryou cried out in pain every time Bakura's fists met his thin frame. Finally he dropped to the floor and stared up at Bakura in pain and bewilderment. "Why are you doing this? I don't want to fight you! Please, I know you're confused, but I can help you get used to things here." He offered a weak, tentative smile, trying again to seem friendly and non-threatening.  
  
Bakura growled and kicked Ryou. "Ha. You're too weak to fight me. THAT is why I'm doing this. You're so weak you don't deserve to be alive! And if you don't toughen up soon, you won't be! Got it, weakling?"  
  
Ryou couldn't do anything but nod. He was shaking, petrified with fear. Bakura beat him a bit more, but his heart wasn't in it anymore. After a while he felt so terrible that he willed himself back into the Ring. He was disgusted at Ryou's weakness, but also at himself. However, he still felt it was his duty to make Ryou strong. So he angrily stalked off through his corridors to wallow in his own misery and self-loathing for a while.  
  
Out in his room, Ryou had stopped crying. He was covered in bruises, but they were mostly under his clothes, so they would be easy to hide. He still didn't understand why Bakura would care how weak he was, or even why Bakura was here at all, but he knew the other boy must live in the Millennium Ring. Ryou slowly lay down, pulling a blanket over his aching body. He lay awake for a long time, but finally fell asleep clutching the Ring.  
  
  
Endnote: Yep, it's gonna be a long, drawn-out beginning… I'll eventually come to the Duelist Kingdom stuff, but not for a while yet. More Bakura-y goodness first! Again, if anyone knows the Japanese word for "uncle," let me know. And if you have any information on Yami Bakura that isn't in the dub, or you think I might not know, tell me! And please let me know if this gets boring too, because I'm going to spend a lot of time with more stuff like this chapter. 


	4. Reflections

Author's Notes: Okay, the Japanese word for "uncle" is "oji-san," which also means "grandfather." It's just an all-purpose word for older males. Oh well, I probably won't use it any time soon anyway. Need to write more… Grr, FF.N's being really dumb and flippy. It'd better fix itself soon! I know I messed up my updating schedule last time, but I couldn't wait another day after the week of no updates! I'll get back on track this week. I don't get many reviews when I update on Wednesdays... My last week at home! Woo hoo!! ^_^ Please let me know if Bakura gets too out of character, because I'm afraid he might. And I'm not exactly sure how soul rooms work, so let me know if I got that wrong too. Oh, and Scale REALLY wanted to do the warnings this time (though I don't think there's anything worth warning about), and he's been good this week, so I'll let him. What a good little muse I have… *pats Scale on the head, much to his annoyance*  
  
Shadi: Indigo does not own Yu-Gi-Oh. She most likely never will, so I would not advise holding your breath for it. She does own Ankh and Scale, which does not matter a bit in this story. I own them as well. You can ponder that mystery as you read on…  
  
Scale: Here's your warning, dung-brains: This is so boring it'll put you to sleep! Don't try any strong magic while you read this story! Too much thinking, not enough action. And once again, the Ring spirit's the Grand High Pharaoh of Stupidity. Why do you fools READ this!?  
  
  
The Cost of Weakness  
  
  
The next morning Ryou slowly woke up. He thought about the night before. Had it been just a dream? He rolled over and flinched at the bruises all over him. No, definitely not a dream… He sat up and took the Ring in both hands to look at it. Even though Bakura, who came from it, had hurt him, it still looked just as beautiful.  
  
Bakura. Ryou had been so surprised by him. They looked so similar! And 'Bakura' was Ryou's family's name. He suspected that they were related somehow. Ryou could feel that Bakura was still in a light sleep, so he quietly pondered this.  
  
/ He said something about Egypt… Tou-san always works with ancient things, and this ring is definitely very old. Probably even from the time the pyramids were built. And Bakura thought the light was magic, so he probably came from around that time too. He seems to live in the Ring. I didn't believe in magic before, but after seeing Bakura, what choice do I have? He was probably sealed in the Ring with magic or something like that. Could he be distantly related to me? I'm not sure where my ancestors came from, so it's possible./  
  
It was very early in the morning and the sun was beginning to rise. Ryou looked out his window to watch. The sky had turned bright red with purple clouds. He watched it for a few minutes, smiling sleepily, before laying down again to try to get some more sleep. He and his uncle were only moving about two hours away, so there was no need to leave too early. And when Bakura woke up… Well, maybe he'd be in a better mood. Ryou always felt better after he'd slept, so Bakura should too!  
  
  
In fact, Bakura DID wake up in a better mood. Ryou'd soft warmth had seeped into his dark, cold labyrinth, and it now felt quite comfortable. Bakura stretched, yawned, and reached out mentally to see what Ryou was doing. The mental link he'd found connecting himself to Ryou felt especially thick, warm, and fuzzy. It felt like Ryou was mostly asleep. Bakura considered waking him up and beating some more weakness out of him, but he just wasn't in the mood today.  
  
Bakura didn't feel like waking Ryou up (he told himself that the boy would need to be well-rested for his next 'lesson'). But he REALLY wanted to look around the room. He didn't quite remember how he had managed to separate from Ryou the night before. So he tried to do it again.  
  
After a few completely failed attempts, Bakura felt something happen. He opened his eyes and blinked. He felt strange. Looking down at himself, he realized he was solid and lying in Ryou's bed. He touched his face to make sure he was real and got up to look in the mirror. His joy knew no bounds when he found out that he was looking at himself, not Ryou.  
  
"Hmm… I'd better make sure I can do this again," Bakura said to himself. After a couple of mistakes, he was standing in his labyrinthal soul room again. //All right, I think I've got it.// He practiced a few more times just to make sure he could do it again. Then, after congratulating himself on being the greatest person in existence, he turned to see a new door in his soul room. It was made of stone and had the Eye of Horus on it. He certainly hadn't made it. And it hadn't been there before he had met Ryou. He went and opened it.   
  
In front of him was a long corridor. He looked left and right, but couldn't see the end to either side. Just across the hall however, was another door. It looked like wood painted pale blue. Bakura went and opened the door. There was a nice, comfortable room inside. Bakura felt Ryou in this room, although he knew that Ryou was out sleeping in his body.  
  
//Well if I made my soul room in the Ring, I guess now that Ryou has it, it must connect to his soul room. Now I'll know where to look for him if he ever tries to hide. Could he hide in his own mind? I suppose he could if I was controlling his body. What happens to the body if both of us are in here? I guess it just sits there…//  
  
Bakura left Ryou's soul room, closing the door behind him, and returned to his own room. Ryou's room had made him feel sleepy again, so he lay down and durled up, though he didn't fall asleep. Even though the floor was as hard as stone, Ryou's presence made everything feel so soft and comfortable. Bakura felt like he could get used to this life…  
  
//What? What am I thinking!? I'd better not be going soft. I can't let that happen. For Ryou's sake as well as mine. So I'll get him to explain this world's magic to me when he gets up, then I have to start making him stronger…//  
  
  
Ryou woke up again a couple of hours later to the sounds of his uncle loading some last-minute things into the truck. He was more awake this time, so he stretched and got up. He changed into the clothing he'd laid out the day before, putting his pajamas into a bag along with his other remaining things. He pulled the sheets, blankets, and pillow off his bed and stuffed them in the bag as well. Then he began brushing his hair. No matter how much he brushed it, it wouldn't lie flat. But at least he could get the tangles out.  
  
Ryou felt Bakura's presence. The other boy was lost in his own thoughts, and didn't seem to have noticed Ryou yet. Ryou still didn't quite understand why Bakura wanted him to be strong, or why he had to be so mean about it. But in hindsight, Ryou thought that Bakura didn't seem as horribly cruel as he had thought before. He was probably just confused and afraid. After living in ancient Egypt and suddenly coming to present-day Japan, Ryou couldn't blame him for that. Ryou resolved to try to be as nice and helpful to Bakura as he could.  
  
Ryou touched the Ring softly, and that got Bakura's attention. //Good, you finally woke up. Today you're going to explain everything about this world to me. Like all the magic your uncle does. And those sticks you eat with. And what everything is made of!//  
  
"All right," Ryou said eagerly, glad that Bakura was feeling talkative instead of violent.  
  
//Don't speak out loud.// Bakura berated him. //People will think you're crazy! I can hear your thoughts.//  
  
/Oh that's right, sorry! You can hear this?/ Ryou thought.  
  
//Yes, I just told you that! Must you learn so slowly!?//  
  
/I'm sorry… The sticks we eat with are called chopsticks. We've always used them. Some people in other countries use forks, spoons, and knives./ Ryou's words were accompanied by mental images of each device. Bakura recognized the knife, though it looked too small to be of much use.  
  
//I see. How pointless! That's what hands are for! But what about your uncle's magic? He makes balls of light, heats pots, shrinks people to put them in boxes, and has the largest chariot I've ever seen that must run on magic! Tell me how they work!// Bakura also showed Ryou mental images to go along with his words, which was good because otherwise Ryou would have been a bit lost.  
  
/Well… It's really not magic. The lights use electricity./ Ryou felt Bakura's confusion, so he tried to explain. /It's like… small amounts of lightning. It runs through wires, and when you flip the switch, the light turns on./  
  
//Sounds like magic to me.// Bakura said doubtfully.  
  
/No, it's… well, I don't entirely understand either. I guess if you want to think of it that way you could. The radio runs on electricity too. Somewhere the people on it are talking, and they have special equipment that transports that sound to my uncle's radio./  
  
//…Yes, more magic. All right, I suppose that makes sense.//  
  
/…And he used the stove to heat the pot. It makes a little circle of tiny flames that burn under the pot to heat it. There's a knob to control the size of the flames with, too./  
  
//Just regular flames?//  
  
/Well, I guess so. They're so hot that they're blue, though./  
  
//Definitely magic. And the chariot?//  
  
/Oh, that's the moving truck. Ji-san's friend is letting us use it to move today. It runs on a battery, kind of like a box of electricity, and it burns gasoline for fuel./  
  
/Hmm… That might be possible without magic. More likely than the others, anyway. All right, I'll ask about more when I see it./ Ryou's answers didn't quite satisfy Bakura's sharp, inquisitive mind, but it was nice to have someone at least try to be helpful for a change.  
  
Ryou finished brushing his hair and dropped the brush into the big bag. Then he grabbed the whole bag and brought it downstairs. /You still don't want my uncle to know about you?/  
  
//NO. You'll be in a world of pain if you ever tell that mage about me!//  
  
/He really doesn't do magic. He works in an office. But I won't tell him anyway./ Ryou put the bag in the truck and went to fix himself some breakfast. His uncle went to get their futon mattresses into the truck.   
  
//What was that bag made of?// Bakura asked while Ryou devoured the last bowl of rice in the house.  
  
/Plastic. It's… well, it can be thin like that or thick like my action figures. I'm not sure exactly how to explain what it is. But it's used for a lot of things./  
  
//You're not very well-informed, are you?//  
  
/Hey! I know more than you do!/  
  
//Watch what you say, little one…//  
  
  
  
Endnote: Okay, maybe Scale was right, that WAS a bit boring. Next chapter will be lots of fun, though. Now I'd better hurry up and get working on the chapter after that! Eep! 


	5. Moving

Author's Notes: Not a lot to say about this chapter. Only that it's SO much fun! You'll love it! ^_^ I don't know what religion Ryou is… Most Japanese people are either Shinto or Buddhist. It shouldn't matter, but I was just wondering. Oh, and I go back to school this Sunday (or Monday), so I'll start HTMLizing my rants and putting them on my website then. Also, there will be a new episode of Yu-Gi-Oh this Saturday and next Saturday. Hopefully more after that, too.  
  
Ankh: Indigo still doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and she's having second thoughts about buying the DVDs now too, so suing her would be rather pointless…  
  
Scale: More stupidity from the Ring spirit. Because he's an idiot, as you can see. And some religious references, oh no… Only a little violence, and not until the very end. How boring. Call me when something interesting happens… *walks away*  
  
  
The Cost of Weakness  
  
  
//You're sure your uncle has control of this thing? It won't turn on him?// Bakura asked nervously. The chariot Ryou called a "truck" had suddenly come to life with a roar as Ryou's uncle stuck a small silver key into it. It was now making a steady growling noise. Bakura feared for his newfound host body, which was strapped inside the truck's head. If the creature decided to swallow Ryou, the boy wouldn't be able to escape…  
  
Ryou smiled as he watched the house go out of sight. /Don't worry. He's in control. And it's just a mindless machine, Bakura. It can't turn on him./   
  
//I doubt that… What's the flat black rock on the ground?//  
  
/That's asphalt. It's used for making roads./  
  
//How about that short green stuff?//  
  
/That's grass. Wasn't there grass in Egypt?/  
  
//You call THAT grass!? OUR grass came up to my waist at least. And it didn't spread all over everything. And are those trees? Are those supposed to be leaves on them?//  
  
/Those are pine trees. They have long, thin leaves called pine needles. They hurt if you get poked with them, like real needles./  
  
//What's that huge metal thing?//  
  
/That's a car. Like a small, personal version of this truck. Lots of people drive them, see?/ Ryou looked out the front of the car at the oncoming traffic.  
  
//You mean they – AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!! They're all coming at us! Quick, jump out!//  
  
/Bakura, calm down! Look, they all have people driving them too! They'll stay on their side of the road./ Luckily, Ryou's uncle was watching the road and not his nephew's wide array of facial expressions.  
  
//Right, and what's to stop them from aiming their 'cars' at us and jumping out right before their cars hit us, then?//  
  
/Well… Bakura, people just don't DO that! They don't even know us, they don't want to damage their cars, and they don't want to go to jail or have to pay money for smashing up our truck./  
  
//Ha, as if that would stop them. I broke the Pharaoh's laws all the time and I hardly ever got caught. If they really wanted to, they would smash into us! You're a trusting fool.//  
  
/I guess you're right, but why --/  
  
//That's enough, mortal! Don't question me! Why are those different colored lights turning off and on?//  
  
After traffic lights, the conversation moved on to dogs, birds, the truck's radio and temperature controls, the overabundance of metal and glass in addition to this 'plastic' substance, houses and other buildings, and signs. As they drove through a large city, Bakura barely let Ryou translate one sign for him before he would ask about another.  
  
And then there was television. There were quite a few large screens in the city, and Ryou explained that they worked like the radio, but with pictures too. Bakura seemed very interested.  
  
//Their souls aren't trapped in there, are they? Or in the wires, or air waves, or electricity?// Bakura suddenly asked.  
  
/No, it's just a moving picture of them… Bakura, your soul is trapped in this ring, isn't it? How did that happen?/ Ryou decided to take advantage of Bakura's talkative, almost good mood.  
  
The questions caught Bakura off guard. He simply hadn't expected the boy to ask HIM anything. He debated whether to tell Ryou not to ask questions or to answer him.  
  
//…The pharaoh and the high priest, damn them to Anubis. They did this to me with magic, only we didn't try to call it something else like "electricity." If I ever get a chance for revenge, they'll regret ever being born…//  
  
/They're probably dead by now. Unless they were sealed into rings too./  
  
//There is only ONE Ring, idiot. But there were other Items. A Rod, a Tauk, an Eye, a Puzzle, an Ankh, and a set of Scales. I don't know why I was drawn to the Ring, the Puzzle and Scales were bigger… I doubt the high and mighty Pharaoh and his pet mage would get themselves sealed into an Item for a few millennia…//  
  
Bakura sounded a bit depressed. Ryou looked for a way to change the subject. /Oh… Look, Bakura! The ocean!/  
  
Bakura looked. He had seen the Nile many times before, so he thought all large bodies of water must be fairly similar. But this one gave the impression of going on forever. Its waves mesmerized him, and he watched the sea birds ride the air currents. //Is… all the world covered in water? Has so much changed…?//  
  
/No, but Japan is a small island. The ocean is huge. The rest of the world's still there, don't worry!/  
  
Bakura pondered this as he gazed out at the ocean. Ryou thought that would keep him busy for a while. But then…  
  
//Is that boat made of metal? How does it stay afloat?// Ryou gave a soft sigh and went back to explaining things.   
  
//What's that little shack we're about to pass?//  
  
/That's a shrine to a Shinto god. Probably a god of traveling since it's right by the road./  
  
//You put your gods in dwellings like THAT? It's a wonder they don't all smite you down where you stand.//  
  
/Well they don't seem to mind. And people still go to their local shrines to pay their respects and leave small offerings./  
  
//They must not be very powerful gods, then. Or they completely ignore all of you.//  
  
/Bakura… It's not good to insult the gods like that./  
  
//They're not my gods, why do I care?//  
  
/Bakura, why are you here?/  
  
//…I told you that already. I won't repeat myself.//  
  
/Yes, but you acted like you didn't like me being so weak. Why do you care?/ Ryou hoped Bakura wouldn't be mad at him for asking. He knew Bakura wouldn't hurt him with his uncle witting right next to him, though.  
  
Bakura didn't answer for a moment. Insane rage warred with fear of the boy's uncle, and the slight fondness he had developed for Ryou. //I… have to share a body with you now. So I can't let anything happen to this body! If you make it difficult, you'll be sorry!//  
  
/Oh… All right Bakura, I'll try to do what you want./  
  
They were saved from the akward silence that followed by Ryou's uncle. "We're almost there, Ryou. Do you want to go out and get some lunch before we start moving in?"  
  
"Sure!" Ryou answered. "What kinds of restaurants are close by?"  
  
"Almost any kind you could want."  
  
"All right. How about… pizza?" Ryou asked, trying to think of something he hadn't eaten for a while.  
  
"Okay," his uncle said.  
  
//What's pizza?//  
  
/It's very flat bread with tomato sauce and cheese on top, and then almost any kind of meat or vegetables you could want. What do you like to eat, Bakura? Can you even taste things?/  
  
//I like meat. I… can taste, I think. Not nearly as well as I used to, though. I can tell if things are good or bad, and even if they're sweet or salty or something. But it's more like I know how you feel about it and how it tastes to you.//  
  
The truck pulled into a driveway. Bakura gave a sigh of relief as the monster they were riding in stopped growling. Ryou and his uncle unstrapped themselves and got out.  
  
//See, your legs are weak! Riding in that thing makes you even weaker! That will have to stop.//  
  
/I just haven't stretched them in two hours. They'll get better./  
  
//Don't argue! I don't want to ride in it again, and you shouldn't either!//  
  
Ryou sighed. /All right Bakura./ His uncle propped the new house's door open and they started transferring boxes from the truck to the front room of the house. It was boring, so Bakura tuned the world out for a while.  
  
Some time later, Bakura was drawn out of his musings by Ryou. /How do you like it?/  
  
//Huh?// Bakura quickly looked out through Ryou's eyes. Ryou was eating a flat triangular thing with bits of stuff on it. //Oh. This is 'peet-za'?//  
  
/Yes! We got pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, and bacon on it because you said you liked meat!/  
  
Bakura was silent for a moment. //…It's good.//  
  
/I'm glad you like it!/ Ryou thought cheerfully.  
  
Ryou and his uncle finished the pizza, paid for it, and left. Luckily, it was close enough to the new house that they had walked. Bakura brooded while Ryou moved his boxes into his new room and helped his uncle with the larger furniture. Afterwards Ryou was tried, so he flopped down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. It took so little to tire the boy, how pathetic!  
  
//Oh yes…// Bakura thought to himself as he felt Ryou appear in is own soul room. //Now would be a good time for a lesson, I suppose.// He took a deep breath, threw open Ryou's door and stalked inside. Ryou was lying on the bed in his soul room, smiling up at the ceiling. Bakura didn't want to know what he was smiling about. It would only weaken his resolve. When he heard Bakura come in, Ryou turned his head to smile at Bakura.  
  
"Oh hello Bakura!" Ryou said in a cheerful, slightly sleepy voice. Bakura sighed inwardly and grabbed Ryou's collar, pulling him out of bed and throwing him to the floor.  
  
"You're too damn weak!" Bakura snarled. He picked up his confused host again and punched him a few times in the stomach. Ryou looked bewildered and ready to cry. Bakura felt pretty horrible himself. He growled and kicked Ryou into a corner.  
  
Ryou slowly looked up with tears in his eyes. "Why?" he asked softly.  
  
It was too much for Bakura now. He whirled around and stormed out. He spent almost an hour screaming at himself for becoming like the people he hated. Finally he managed to gain control over his emotions again. He went back to Ryou's soul room, where Ryou was sitting on his bed. The boy jumped and cringed away from him.  
  
"Listen," Bakura growled. "I… I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just that you're SO weak! If you try to be stronger and don't make me mad, I'll try not to hurt you again. Much. Got it?"  
  
Ryou looked at the upset expression Bakura was trying to hide, and could almost feel the truth of his words. The boy nodded, smiling hesitantly.  
  
Bakura gave a huge sigh of relief. "Good, that will make things much easier. Nowleave me alone for a while." He left again, not looking back to see Ryou's smile grow.  
  
  
  
Endnote: Aww… So sweet! I must have been in a fluffy mood when I wrote that! But before you gag, don't worry: It won't last long! I plan to go at least through Duelist Kingdom, so there's plenty of time for Bakura's relationship with Ryou to go up and down and sideways and in squiggles… They'll meet Yuugi next time. And that's as far as I've gotten so far. After that I may take a break and write more of "Three-In-One Combo," because I have a couple more ideas for that. Give me suggestions, I might need them! Review now, because I command it!!  
  
Scale: NOOO!! Oh great Ra, make it STOP!!!  
  
Heh heh... Oh, and if you're having trouble reviewing, just send me your review in an e-mail. I'll post it anonymously under your name. 


	6. School

Author's Notes: Surprise! I decided to update early! I think I'll use Japanese names but base this on the dub. Because that's what I've seen. How sad! All right, luckily you guys brought up some points I can talk about this time!   
Yes, the Pharaoh is Yami Yugi, and no he isn't gay. Or he might be, but if he is, I don't care. He just made that offer to intimidate and dominate Bakura. But that's because he was the big mean Pharaoh. He'll change, don't worry! But because this is from Bakura's point of view, I don't think Yami Yugi will ever be portrayed as very nice.  
I know I didn't make it very clear at first, so I'll explain again. I originally meant for Ryou to get the Ring when he was about 8, so he'd have to live with someone. But then I decided to crunch things together and make him already about 15 or so. I know it's horribly inaccurate, but I've been stretching my artistic license lately. ^_^ So Ryou lives with his uncle because his father's never home. I guess I wouldn't have to do it that way, but... I don't know, having his uncle there seemed to be the right thing to do. It keeps Bakura on his toes, if nothing else. ^_^  
Also, this will be the last chapter for a while because Ankh and Scale felt neglected and gave me a huge burst of inspiration for "Three In One Combo" again. So I'll be posting more of that soon. I won't abandon this story, just put it on hold for a while. If you can think of a good way to get from here to Duelist Kingdom, I'd appreciate the help!  
  
Ankh: Indigo STILL doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and may not even get the DVDs now. What do you think, would it be better to get Yu-Gi-Oh or Excel Saga and Trigun…?  
  
Scale: DEATH! Lots of death in this chapter. Spontaneous combustion, stuff like that. Everyone just keels over and dies! That's the end! Sorry, fools! Go home now!  
  
Jii-chan = grandpa  
Ji-san = uncle (don't quote me on either spelling, they're both spelled the same in reality!)  
Tou-san = father  
Arigato = thank you  
-kun = suffix used for politeness among equals  
  
  
The Cost of Weakness  
  
  
Bakura didn't talk to Ryou for the rest of the day, but after a while he could feel the boy preparing for the next day. He would be starting a new school. He did some boring things like hanging pictures on his walls and helping his uncle set up the rest of the house. His uncle made a simple dinner, and after that they watched a long thing on their own personal television. Bakura was impressed with that at first, but he soon got bored. Ryou double-checked his book bag before going to bed.  
  
Bakura stayed up for a long time after that, aimlessly wandering the passages of his soul room. Eventually, he just picked a spot to lie down and fell asleep there.  
  
  
The next morning, Bakura woke up late. He noticed immediately that RYou was in some large building. Someone was talking about a "locker" and classes, and Ryou was nodding. Finally Ryou got a small metal cylinder with a loop on it and the person left him alone. Ryou turned and opened one of the many metal doors in the wall to reveal a tall, thin compartment with a single shelf at the top. He started putting books in.  
  
Bakura made him look down for a moment. //Idiot! Put the Ring inside your shirt! If you walk around with a big piece of gold like that, it's as bad as begging someone to take it!//  
  
/Oh, good morning Bakura!/ Ryou carefully slipped the Ring under his shirt. /I don't think anyone would do that, but all right./  
  
//Are you really that stupid? I've seen your memories. People do things like that to you all the time!//  
  
/But Bakura, I don't even know anyone here yet. I don't have any enemies./  
  
//You're about to. Look. Do you want me to kill them?// Ryou looked up to see two enormous boys snickering and staring right at him as they walked towards him. Ryou gave an almost inaudible squeak, shut and locked his locker, and ducked into his first class, which luckily was right across the hall.  
  
Ryou's new teacher introduced him to the class. There were some interesting-looking people… One boy's hair was a solid spike that stuck out in front of his face.   
  
Ryou went to the seat he had been assigned to and noticed a very short boy behind him and to the left who had been hidden by the boy in front of him. His hair was black with red edges, almost in the shape of a star, with yellow bangs.  
  
Two of the Ring's dangling spikes pointed towards the boy, getting Bakura's attention. Ryou looked down, wondering what this was about. But Bakura had caught a glimpse of the boy with the strange hair.  
  
//BY RA! It's the PHARAOH!!//  
  
Ryou jumped a little in his seat. /Bakura, don't scare me! I have to pay attention to the teacher!/ He took out a notebook and pen to take notes. /What's wrong?/  
  
//Listen to me, this is very important. Do NOT draw attention to yourself. But whenever you're not writing, look at that boy so I can see him.//  
  
/Well… All right… But why?/  
  
//This isn't the time for questions!// Bakura practically shouted. //Now pay attention, your teacher's still talking! Just do as I say!//  
  
Ryou quickly began listening and taking notes again. When the teacher paused to write something he had said on the chalkboard, Ryou glanced back at the boy with the wild hair. Bakura didn't bother to hide his thoughts, so Ryou listened.  
  
//He's shorter than I remember… And his hair's not quite the same. The eyes are a lot bigger, and a different color, I think. Hmm… Wait, what's that around his neck? That's the Puzle! That must be what the Ring's pointing to!//  
  
/What are you talking about? Do you knkow him?/ Ryou asked.  
  
//Quiet! Pay attention and stay away form that boy!// Ryou quickly turned back to his notes and Bakura shielded his thoughts so the boy's easily-distracted mind could concentrate. //He's about as different from the Pharaoh I remember as Ryou and I are. In the same ways, too. Is that boy the Pharaoh's reincarnation? Is Ryou mine? But I'm still here! I suppose my body died, but it's the soul that gets reborn. How confusing… Wait, does that mean that the Pharaoh got sealed into the Puzzle?//  
  
Bakura reached out with the Ring's power and tried something incredibly stupid. //THE PHARAOH'S A SHRIMP!!// he taunted. Luckily, the only response he got was a muddled, questioning feeling.  
  
//Huh… Doesn't feel arrogant enough for the pharaoh. Feels like he doesn't even know he's the Pharaoh anymore. Hmm…//  
  
Bakura contemplated this during the next few classes Ryou had, since he had nothing better to do. Then the students got a long break after lunch. Most of the class went outside, but Ryou wanted to stay in. That was good, because the Pharaoh-boy and a group of admirers were also inside.   
  
//Hey! Take the Ring out for a minute, but don't let anyone see.//  
  
Ryou took out his books for his next class. /All right./ He slipped the Ring out and held it low, hidden partially by his desk. Two spikes were pointing behind him and to the left. He glanced that way to see the boy with the strange hair talking and laughing with some friends, playing a card game.  
  
//Those pictures look like the Shadow Game tablets…//  
  
/What? That's Duel Monsters, Bakura. It's a fun game. I know all about it, but I don't play very often./  
  
//Really? Remind me to talk to you about that later. Get closer, I can't see! And hide the Ring.//  
  
Ryou put the Ring back under his shirt and went over to the small group. There was a circle of people watching the game, and Ryou found an open space to stand.  
  
//That boy has Kagemusha of the Blue Flame out. A weak warrior. And this miniature Pharaoh has… The Dark Magician! The Dark Magician only obeyed the Pharaoh. So that pompous shrimp MUST be in the Puzzle. But why does he seem so different…?//  
  
After thinking for a while, Bakura laughed at the answer he came up with. //The Puzzle isn't one solid piece of gold! It's made up of dozens of smaller pieces! Ha, I'll bet the Pharaoh got himself sealed in it, then someone broke it! So his mind broke apart too, and now he doesn't know who he is! It seems like it hasn't been together for long either, judging by how confused he seemed.//  
  
/What are you talking about?/  
  
//Quiet. Don't question me. It's none of your concern. Maybe later.//  
  
The mini-Pharaoh won the game quickly and most of the crowd dispersed. The small boy suddenly turned and smiled at Ryou. "Hi, I'm Yuugi. Your name's Ryou, right?"  
  
Bakura froze, but quickly recovered. //Ask him about the gold Puzzle around his neck.//  
  
"Um… yes," Ryou said, smiling faintly. "It's nice to meet you. Uh… What's that big gold thing around your neck?"  
  
Yuugi wrapped his small hands around the gold pyramid. "It's my Millennium Puzzle. Jii-chan got it for me in Egypt. It was the hardest puzzle I've ever solved, but I managed it."  
  
Ryou's eyes lit up. "Oh, I –"  
  
//TELL HIM AND I KILL YOU BOTH!//  
  
Ryou gulped. "I… like it. Tou-san's been to Egypt, and I'm interested in Egyptian history."  
  
"Really?" asked Yuugi, cheerfully oblivious to Ryou's inner conversation. "You should talk to my jii-chan some day. He owns a game shop not far from here. Come by some time, Ryou-kun!"  
  
"A… Arigato, Yuugi-kun," Ryou said, grateful for the other boy's friendliness but unsure how Bakura would react.  
  
Just then the teacher came back and it was getting close to time to start class again. Ryou hurried back to his seat and got out his pen.  
  
//Hmm… Watch that boy, he may not be as innocent as he seems.//  
  
/Bakura, he seemed very nice…/  
  
//That's what he WANTS you to think! But you did well. You need to stay close to him. Like a distant shadow. Get close to him without letting him get close to you. Get him to talk to you, but offer nothing in return.//  
  
/Bakura, can't I just be his friend? I haven't had a real friend in ages./  
  
//You haven't even been live for ages. Call him a friend if you want, but DO NOT let your guard down. Ever. That boy is dangerous, so you need to be as strong as you can.//  
  
/But Bakura, how –/  
  
//Silence!//  
  
Ryou sighed. /All right, I'll be careful./ He settled down for a long day of taking notes and keeping on guard.  
  
  
  
  
Endnote: Well that wasn't too bad, was it? Not as fun as the last chapter, but oh well. Give me ideas if you can, but I won't continue this for a while yet… Until then, review! In an e-mail if necessary! My review alert doesn't seem to work, but oh well. It's more fun to check reviews on here anyway, for some reason! 


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